Transmission1

Like the title says 4 meters FM anyone? I've been amazed how far I can reach on that band in the past, so I would like to see how far 4 meters can go and make more distant contacts on that band.

M0XTA Selim is your man ...always banging on about 4m whenever I hear him on 2m or 70cm....He is always trying to promote 4m, but it always seems to fall on deaf ears... but if you are already on 4m you know that

I am very active on 4M SSB and Meteor Scatter, however I also have a 4M Echolink node on 70.350MHz which is currently offline until the end of February 2016.
It is a cracking band and the people on their are very pleasent and helpful, if you want to set up a sked for an FM test let me know.
Also, take a look here: http://www.70mhz.org/

Cheers

Rob.

Not for me, the only rig I have that can tx 4m is an old 706m2g, and for some reason it's as deaf as a post on that band.

I got a couple nice 4 meter rigs, the main one I use is a Tait T2020 and then I have an old converted Storno 423 on 4 meters. I also have an old Tait T500 lowband transceiver somewhere as well which will go on to 4 meters.

As for the SSB side of things, I'm working on a 27MHz transverter at the moment to get 4 meters on SSB.

StormShadow wrote:I got a couple nice 4 meter rigs, the main one I use is a Tait T2020 and then I have an old converted Storno 423 on 4 meters. I also have an old Tait T500 lowband transceiver somewhere as well which will go on to 4 meters.

As for the SSB side of things, I'm working on a 27MHz transverter at the moment to get 4 meters on SSB.

Impressive - are you using active mixers like NE602 chip, dual gate mosfet or passive mixers such as diode ring modules like the SBL1?.
If at all possible, use the SBL1 passive type as they are low noise and have a greater dynamic range than the active types.

StormShadow wrote: I've been amazed how far I can reach on that band in the past, so I would like to see how far 4 meters can go and make more distant contacts on that band.

I made a simplex contact on fm over a distance of about 40 miles under normal conditions. Using a dipole which wasn't even clearing the house. if i remember right they call 4m the magic band or is that 6m ?

PLL02A wrote:

StormShadow wrote: I've been amazed how far I can reach on that band in the past, so I would like to see how far 4 meters can go and make more distant contacts on that band.

I made a simplex contact on fm over a distance of about 40 miles under normal conditions. Using a dipole which wasn't even clearing the house. if i remember right they call 4m the magic band or is that 6m ?

6M is known as the magic band however 4M has the best of 6M and 2M.

I'd say both 4 and 6 meters are both magic bands. That's interesting about the dipole not clearing the house and making good 40 mile contacts. I remember when I made my first dipole for 4 meters I tested it in the house and still made some good contacts, its now up on the roof and now I get out all over the place.

Have a 16 ch Key rig ex PMR does 20 watts with a hombrew dipole in the loft. Furthest was Ivan in Slovinia.

Found not too many on to bother with it much anymore, besides robbed the coax for a 6m one nobody on there much either. Lol

How about we just go on active bands like 2 meters, although better not speak too soon with calling 2 meters active or going on DMR and arranging QSO's the bands we think are dead? That sounds a good plan to me rather than writing them off as dead bands.

4 Metres is very active, on SSB, however the sole reason it does not have as many white stick operators (by white stick I mean the crappy verticals people put up on 2M and 70CM believing they can work the world on it) unlike 2 metres is because it takes much more time and effort to get setup.
Alas you can buy commercial multimode rigs that cover 70 MHz out of the box, many brand of transverter available so there is no excuses for not being on 4M, I work DX almost every day on 4M, sporadic Es and Meteor Scatter - my best distance on 4M MS was over 1000 Miles and more countries are gaining 4M allocations each month so activity is increasing very quickly.

As for local chit chat I can work Fred G4BWP in Bury St Edmunds on flat conditions with 20W, 5/7 each way using a homebrew 3 element LFA beam, when there is a slight tropo lift I can work PA, ON, DL, QZ with ease.

I just found that 1st 3rd & 5th Thursdays (non club nights) on 70.475 MHz (Edgware & District Radio Club) I'll have a listen out for those.

I'm on 4m FM. Monitoring regularly 70.375 during the day. Also there is a Friday night net in West Cornwall on 70.475.

You never know what the propagation may do

There are 2 regular 4m nets near Portsmouth.